Sennheiser Intensifies Customer and Brand Protection

Sennheiser Intensifies Customer and Brand Protection

WEDEMARK, Germany, June 20, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

Audio specialist proposes new measures to counteract product piracy



As a premium manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission
systems, Sennheiser is intensifying its global commitment to fighting product piracy. The
clear focus of all measures is the protection of both customer and brand. "Customers are
being deceived in a criminal way with counterfeit products. With the clear intent to
defraud low grade products are being sold as 'branded' products", explains Volker Bartels,
Speaker of the Executive Management Board. Background: The sound quality of the
counterfeit versions falls far short of the strict quality standards of genuine Sennheiser
products. Furthermore, because these fake products do not undergo any of the stringent
quality checks of the genuine articles, damage to the user's hearing may potentially be an
issue.



Safety labelling makes authentication easier



Sennheiser protects its customers from plagiarism with latest technologies which offer
maximum protection against counterfeiting and enable retailers and customers to verify
authenticity. In future, Sennheiser product-packaging and the products themselves will be
protected with tesa scribos(R) PrioSpots. These special labels offer maximum protection
against counterfeiting by a combination of concealed and visible security features. The
PrioSpots on Sennheiser packaging and products are linked to the manufacturer's overall
brand security concept and use the connect & check system. This enables users, retailers
or customs investigators to check the authenticity of a product quickly by using an
internet-enabled smartphone or a notebook. The simple process involves reading the QR code
printed on the packaging and transmitting the data via a secure internet connection to
confirm the product's authenticity. "The investment in a system which provides
counterfeit-proof identification of our products results in effective protection for our
customers and for retailers", says Volker Bartels.



Focused action against illegal online trading



The global market for counterfeit electronic products is estimated to be worth 74
billion Euro* per year. Without proactive measures to fight criminal dealer activity, the
market will continue to grow. In order to effectively stem the trade of counterfeit goods
on the internet, Sennheiser and OpSec Security have been working together in Europe since
early 2012. On Sennheiser's behalf the experts from OpSec search relevant internet portals
for potentially suspicious products. This collaboration has been highly successful so far,
and it is now due to be deployed worldwide. "Thanks to online screening we have been able
to significantly reduce the volume of illegal supplies in Europe. We therefore want to use
this highly effective tool in other parts of the world now", says Volker Bartels.
Sennheiser is particularly concerned about the illegal trade in Asia. With the help of
online screening, the most active Asian B2B platforms are continually scanned so any
illegal online auctions taking place, can be systematically stopped. "We are concentrating
especially on the Asian illegal trade as a lot of counterfeits originate from there. This
way, we can stop these products from reaching Europe, the USA or other parts of the world
in the first place."



Legal penalties for brand pirates



Using its own research as well as the information obtained from OpSec, Sennheiser has
provided its support to international customs and investigation authorities. Therefore it
is not only Sennheiser who stop these suppliers and dealers of counterfeit goods; they
also potentially face prosecution for their activities. "Each year Sennheiser invests
significantly into research and development in order to provide our customers with the
best technology and the best possible sound", explains Volker Bartels. "The harm done to
our customers and our markets by product piracy is completely unacceptable to us. We will
therefore use everything at our disposal to fight it." In order to be on the safe side the
company recommends that any customers looking to buy Sennheiser products, purchase only
from retailers within the authorised dealer network.



* Source: Black Market Data Site Havocscope




Please find additional info grafics at
http://en-de.sennheiser.com/about-sennheiser/press

Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
Edelgard Marquardt
Global Corporate Public Relations Manager
Am Labor 1 - 30900 Wedemark
Tel +49(51-30)600-329
Fax +49(51-30)600-295

edelgard.marquardt@sennheiser.com





Source: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG




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